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US20080232532A1 - Apparatus and Method for Generation of Ultra Low Momentum Neutrons - Google Patents

Apparatus and Method for Generation of Ultra Low Momentum Neutrons Download PDF

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US20080232532A1
US20080232532A1 US11/912,793 US91279306A US2008232532A1 US 20080232532 A1 US20080232532 A1 US 20080232532A1 US 91279306 A US91279306 A US 91279306A US 2008232532 A1 US2008232532 A1 US 2008232532A1
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protons
deuterons
neutrons
ulmns
metallic
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Lewis Larsen
Alan Widom
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Lattice Energy LLC
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05H—PLASMA TECHNIQUE; PRODUCTION OF ACCELERATED ELECTRICALLY-CHARGED PARTICLES OR OF NEUTRONS; PRODUCTION OR ACCELERATION OF NEUTRAL MOLECULAR OR ATOMIC BEAMS
    • H05H3/00—Production or acceleration of neutral particle beams, e.g. molecular or atomic beams
    • H05H3/06—Generating neutron beams
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E30/00—Energy generation of nuclear origin
    • Y02E30/10—Nuclear fusion reactors

Definitions

  • the present invention concerns apparatus and methods for the generation of extremely low energy neutrons and applications for such neutrons.
  • Neutrons are uncharged elementary fermion particles that, along with protons (which are positively charged elementary fermion particles), comprise an essential component of all atomic nuclei except for that of ordinary hydrogen.
  • Neutrons are well known to be particularly useful for inducing various types of nuclear reactions because, being uncharged, they are not repelled by Coulombic repulsive forces associated with the positive electric charge contributed by protons located in an atomic nucleus.
  • Free neutrons are inherently unstable outside of the immediate environment in and around an atomic nucleus and have an accepted mean life of about 887 to 914 seconds; if they are not captured by an atomic nucleus, they break up via beta decay into an electron, a proton, and an anti-neutrino.
  • Neutrons are classified by their levels of kinetic energy; expressed in units measured in MeV, meV, KeV, or eV—Mega-, milli-, Kilo- electron Volts.
  • reaction capture The degree to which a given free neutron possessing a particular level of energy is able to react with a given atomic nucleus/isotope via capture (referred to as the reaction capture “cross section” and empirically measured in units called “barns”) is dependent upon: (a) the specific isotope of the nucleus undergoing a capture reaction with a free neutron, and (b) the mean velocity of a free neutron at the time it interacts with a target nucleus.
  • isotopes can behave very differently after capturing free neutrons.
  • Some isotopes are entirely stable after the capture of one or more free neutrons (e.g., isotopes of Gadolinium (Gd), atomic number 64: 154 Gd to 155 Gd to 156 Gd).
  • Gd Gadolinium
  • atomic number 64 154 Gd to 155 Gd to 156 Gd.
  • superscripts at the top left side (or digits to the left side) of the elemental symbol represent atomic weight.
  • Some isotopes absorb one or more neutrons, forming a more neutron-rich isotope of the same element, and then beta decay to another element. Beta decay strictly involves the weak interaction, because it results in the production of neutrinos and energetic electrons (known as ⁇ -particles).
  • Other atomic isotopes enter an unstable excited state after capturing one or more free neutrons, and “relax” to a lower energy level by releasing the excess energy through the emission of photons such as gamma rays (e.g., the isotope Cobalt-60 [ 60 Co], atomic number 27).
  • isotopes also enter unstable excited states after capturing one or more free neutrons, but subsequently “relax” to lower energy levels through spontaneous fission of the “parent” nucleus.
  • de-excitation processes start being dominated by fission reactions (involving the strong interaction) and alpha particle (Helium-4 nuclei) emission rather than beta decays and emission of energetic electrons and neutrinos.
  • Such fission processes can result in the production of a wide variety of “daughter” isotopes and the release of energetic particles such as protons, alphas, electrons, neutrons, and/or gamma photons (e.g., the isotope 252 Cf of Californium, atomic number 98).
  • Fission processes are commonly associated with certain very heavy (high A) isotopes that can produce many more neutrons than they “consume” via initial capture, thus enabling a particular type of rapidly escalating cascade of neutron production by successive reactions commonly known as a fission “chain reaction” (e.g., the uranium isotope 235 U, atomic number 92; or the plutonium isotope 239 Pu, atomic number 94). For 235 U, each external free “trigger” neutron releases another 100 neutrons in the resulting chain reaction. Isotopes that can produce chain reactions are known as fissile.
  • Stellar nucleosynthesis is a complex collection of various types of nuclear processes and associated nuclear reaction networks operating across an extremely broad range of astrophysical environments, stellar evolutionary phenomena, and time-spans. According to current thinking, these processes are composed of three broad classes of stellar nucleosynthetic reactions as follows:
  • R-Process short-hand for the Rapid (neutron capture) Process; it is thought to occur in Type II supernovae and various high-energy events on and around neutron stars.
  • intermediate products comprising very neutron-rich nuclei are built up by very large neutron fluxes produced under extreme conditions that are captured by various types of “seed” nuclei.
  • seed nuclei These intermediate products then undergo a series of ⁇ -decays accompanied by fission of the heaviest nuclei.
  • this process produces nuclei having even larger masses, i.e. above 209 Bi, that are located on the neutron-rich side of the “valley of nuclear stability”.
  • An object of the present invention is to provide method and apparatus for directly producing large fluxes of ultra low momentum neutrons (ULMNs) that possess much lower momentum and velocities than ultracold neutrons.
  • ULMNs ultra low momentum neutrons
  • such fluxes of ULMNs produced in the apparatus of the Invention may be as high as ⁇ 10 16 neutrons/sec/cm 2 .
  • Another object of the present invention is to generate ULM neutrons at or above room temperature in very tiny, comparatively low cost apparatus/devices.
  • a further object of the present invention is to generate ULM neutrons without requiring any moderation; that is, without the necessity of deliberate “cooling” of its produced neutrons using any type of neutron moderator.
  • a further object of the present invention is to utilize controlled combinations of starting materials and successive rounds of ULM neutron absorption and beta decays to synthesize stable, heavier (higher-A) elements from lighter starting elements, creating transmutations and releasing additional energy in the process.
  • Yet another object of the present invention is to produce neutrons with extraordinarily high absorption cross-sections for a great variety of isotopes/elements. Because of that unique characteristic, the ULMN absorption process is extremely efficient, and neutrons will very rarely if ever be detected externally, even though large fluxes of ULMNs are being produced and consumed internally within the apparatus of the invention.
  • One specific object of the present invention is to produce neutrons at intrinsically very low energies, hence the descriptive term “ultra low momentum” neutrons.
  • ULM neutrons have special properties because, according to preferred aspects of the invention, they are formed collectively at extraordinarily low energies (which is equivalent to saying that at the instant they are created, ULMNs are moving at extraordinarily small velocities, v, approaching zero). Accordingly, they have extremely long quantum mechanical wavelengths that are on the order of one to ten microns (i.e., 10,000 to 100,000 Angstroms). By contrast, a “typical” neutron moving at thermal energies in condensed matter will have a quantum mechanical wavelength of only about 2 Angstroms. By comparison, the smallest viruses range in size from 50 to about 1,000 Angstroms; bacteria range in size from 2,000 to about 500,000 Angstroms.
  • the present invention has numerous features providing methods and apparatus that utilize surface plasmon polariton electrons, hydrogen isotopes, surfaces of metallic substrates, collective many-body effects, and weak interactions in a controlled manner to generate ultra low momentum neutrons that can be used to trigger nuclear transmutation reactions and produce heat.
  • One aspect of the present invention effectively provides a “transducer” mechanism that permits controllable two-way transfers of energy back-and-forth between chemical and nuclear realms in a small-scale, low-energy, scalable condensed matter system at comparatively modest temperatures and pressures.
  • One aspect of the invention provides a neutron production method in a condensed matter system at moderate temperatures and pressures comprising the steps of providing collectively oscillating protons, providing collectively oscillating heavy electrons, and providing a local electric field greater than approximately 10 11 volts/meter.
  • Another aspect of the invention provides a method of producing neutrons comprising the steps of: providing a hydride or deuteride on a metallic surface; developing a surface layer of protons or deuterons on said hydride or deuteride; developing patches of collectively oscillating protons or deuterons near or at said surface layer; and establishing surface plasmons on said metallic surface.
  • Another aspect of the invention provides a method of producing ultra low momentum neutrons (“ULMNs”) comprising: providing a plurality of protons or deuterons on a working surface of hydride/deuteride-forming materials; breaking down the Born-Oppenheimer approximation in patches on said working surface; producing heavy electrons in the immediate vicinity of coherently oscillating patches of protons and/or deuterons; and producing said ULMNs from said heavy electrons and said protons or deuterons.
  • ULMNs ultra low momentum neutrons
  • a nuclear process using weak interactions comprising: forming ultra low momentum neutrons (ULMNs) from electrons and protons/deuterons using weak interactions; and locally absorbing said ULMNs to form isotopes which undergo beta-decay after said absorbing.
  • ULMNs ultra low momentum neutrons
  • a method of generating energy At first sites, the method produces neutrons intrinsically having, upon their creation, ultra low momentum (ULMNs).
  • ULMNs ultra low momentum
  • a lithium target is disposed at a second site near said first sites in a position to intercept said ULMNs.
  • the ULMNs react with the Lithium target to produce Li-7 and Li-8 isotopes.
  • the lithium isotopes decay by emitting electrons and neutrinos to form Be-8; said Be-8 decaying to He-4. This reaction produces a net heat of reaction.
  • the foregoing method of producing energy may further comprise producing helium isotopes by reacting helium with ULMNs emitted from said first sites to form He-5 and He-6; the He-6 decaying to Li-6 by emitting an electron and neutrino; the helium-to-lithium reactions yielding a heat of reaction and forming a nuclear reaction cycle.
  • the present invention also provides a method of producing heavy electrons comprising: providing a metallic working surface capable of supporting surface plasmons and of forming a hydride or deuteride; fully loading the metallic surface with H or D thereby to provide a surface layer of protons or deuterons capable of forming coherently oscillating patches; and developing at least one patch of coherently or collectively oscillating protons or deuterons on the surface layer.
  • the present invention also provides apparatus for a nuclear reaction.
  • Such apparatus comprises: a supporting material; a thermally conductive layer; an electrically conductive layer in contact with at least a portion of said thermally conductive layer; a cavity within said supporting material and thermally conductive layer; a source of hydrogen or deuterium associated with said cavity; first and second metallic hydride-forming layers within said cavity; an interface between a surface of said first hydride-forming layer, said interface being exposed to hydrogen or deuterium from said source; a first region of said cavity being located on one side of said interface and having a first pressure of said hydrogen or deuterium; a second region of said cavity being located on one side of said second hydride-forming layer and having a second pressure of said hydrogen or deuterium; said first pressure being greater than said second pressure; said apparatus forming a sea of surface plasmon polaritons and patches of collectively oscillating protons or deuterons, and ultra low momentum neutrons in a region both above and below said interface.
  • a laser
  • a neutron generator for producing ultra low momentum neutrons comprising: a metallic substrate having a working surface capable of supporting surface plasmons and of forming a hydride or deuteride, located above the substrate.
  • the metallic substrate is fully loaded with hydrogen or deuterium; a surface layer of protons or deuterons. At least one region of collectively oscillating protons or deuterons is on said surface layer, and surface plasmons are located above the surface layer and said region.
  • a flux of protons or deuterons is incident on said surface plasmons, surface layer, and working surface.
  • a plurality of target nanoparticles can be positioned on the working surface.
  • the Born-Oppenheimer approximation breaks down on the upper working surface.
  • the invention may further comprise laser radiation incident on said working surface to stimulate and transfer energy into said surface plasmons.
  • FIG. 1 is a representative side view of a ULMN generator according to aspects of the present invention
  • FIG. 2 is a representative top view of the ULMN generator of FIG. 1 ;
  • FIG. 3 is a representative side view of a ULMN generator according to aspects of the present invention, including optional nanoparticles;
  • FIG. 4 is a representative top view of the ULM generator of FIG. 3 with randomly positioned nanoparticles affixed to the working surface;
  • FIG. 5 is a representative schematic side sketch of one alternative preferred embodiment of a ULMN power generation system according to aspects of the present invention.
  • FIG. 6 is a representative schematic block diagram of another alternative preferred embodiment of a ULMN power generation system according to aspects of the present invention.
  • FIG. 7 is a representative schematic block diagram of another alternative preferred embodiment of a ULMN power generation system according to aspects of the present invention.
  • FIG. 8 is a sketch useful in understanding some of the physics used in aspects of the present invention.
  • One feature of the present invention provides a method for the creation of (preferably large fluxes of) ultra low momentum neutrons in condensed matter systems, preferably at very moderate temperatures and pressures in various preferred types of very compact, comparatively low cost apparatus.
  • Absorption of ULMNs by nuclei within the invention's apparatus initiates the formation of complex, coupled networks of local, neutron-catalyzed nuclear reactions that are broadly referred to herein as Low Energy Nuclear Reactions or LENRs.
  • fluxes of such ULMNs can be utilized to trigger ULMN-catalyzed LENRs in preferred target materials for the generation of excess heat and/or for inducing transmutation reactions that are used to create other desired isotopes of commercial value.
  • Excess heat can be converted into other usable forms of energy using various preferred types of energy conversion technologies used in power generation.
  • an apparatus or method forms neutrons from protons or deuterons and heavy electrons using the weak interaction. According to another aspect, it produces neutrons that intrinsically have very low momentum. According to yet another aspect, the heavy electrons that react with protons or deuterons to produce ULM neutrons and neutrinos serve a dual role by also effectively serving as a “gamma shield” against energetic gamma- and hard X-ray photons that may be produced as a result of ULM neutron absorption by nuclei and/or as a result of subsequent nuclear decay processes.
  • ULMNs are created solely through weak interactions between protons or deuterons and “heavy” electrons as defined in a paper by A. Widom and L. Larsen, the present inventors, entitled: “Ultra Low Momentum Neutron Catalyzed Nuclear Reactions on Metallic Hydride Surfaces,” available on the Cornell pre-print server as arXiv:cond-mat/0505026 v1 dated May 2, 2005, and further published in The European Physical Journal C—Particles and Fields (Digital Object Identifier 10.1140/epjc/s2006-02479-8).
  • heavy electrons may serve as a built-in gamma shield, as defined in a paper by A. Widom and L. Larsen, the present inventors, entitled: “Absorption of Nuclear Gammna Radiation by Heavy Electrons on Metallic Hydride Surfaces,” also available on the Cornell pre-print server as arXiv:cond-mat/0509269 v1 dated Sep. 10, 2005.
  • Heavy electrons formed in the preferred practice of the present invention have a unique property in that they have the ability to fully absorb a gamma ray photon coming from any direction and re-emit the absorbed energy in the form of an appropriately large number (based upon the conservation of energy) of lower-energy photons, mostly in the infrared, IR, with a small amount of radiation in the soft X-ray bands.
  • gamma photons in the energy range of 0.5 MeV to ⁇ 10.0 MeV are effectively “shielded” and converted into primarily infrared photons which are then in turn absorbed by nearby surrounding materials, thus producing heat.
  • the present invention requires little or no shielding against hard radiation produced by LENRs within the apparatus.
  • ULMNs In comparison to thermal and fast neutrons (defined in Table I above), ULMNs have enormously larger absorption cross sections for virtually any given isotope of an element. Accordingly, according to another aspect of the present invention, ULMNs produced by the present invention are captured with extremely high efficiency in neighboring target materials in close proximity to their creation site, thus forming neutron-rich isotopes. Specifically, since large fluxes of ULM neutrons with very large absorption cross-sections are produced in the invention, multiple neutrons can be absorbed by a many nuclei before the next beta decay, thus creating extremely neutron-rich, unstable intermediate isotope products.
  • neutron-rich isotopes of many elements are short-lived and decay mainly via weak interaction beta processes.
  • Individual beta decays can be very energetic, and can have positive Q-values ranging up to ⁇ 20 MeV.
  • Q-values of many beta decays thus compare favorably to net Q-values that are achievable with D-D/D-T fusion reactions (total ⁇ 25 MeV). Chains of energetic beta decays can therefore be utilized for generating power.
  • the present invention's novel approach to nuclear power generation is based primarily on utilization of the weak interaction.
  • chains of reactions characterized mainly by absorption of ULMNs and subsequent beta decays are employed (LENRs).
  • preferred ULMN-catalyzed chains of nuclear reactions may have biologically benign beta decays interspersed with occasional “gentle” fissions of isotopes of other elements and occasional alpha-particle decays. These may have Q-values ranging up to several MeV, in sharp contrast to the very energetic 200+ MeV Q-value of the fission of very high-A, 235 U. It is important to note that significant fluxes of very high energy fission neutrons have never once been detected experimentally in LENR systems.
  • the invention utilizes primarily low energy, weak interaction nuclear processes, any production of large, biologically dangerous fluxes of hard radiation (very energetic X- and gamma rays), energetic neutrons, and long-lived highly radioactive isotopes can be avoided.
  • the necessity for expensive shielding and containment of the invention's apparatus, and related waste disposal problems are obviated, in sharp contrast to existing nuclear fission and fusion technologies based on the strong interaction.
  • no Coulomb barrier is involved in weak interactions and absorption of ULMNs, the invention's LENRs can take place under moderate physical conditions, unlike currently envisioned D-T (deuterium-tritium) fusion reactors.
  • Widom-Larsen paper is incorporated by reference, is intended to form part of this disclosure, and is attached hereto.
  • the abstract of the referenced paper states: “Ultra low momentum neutron catalyzed nuclear reactions in metallic hydride system surfaces are discussed. Weak interaction catalysis initially occurs when neutrons (along with neutrinos) are produced from the protons which capture “heavy” electrons. Surface electron masses are shifted upwards by localized condensed matter electric fields.
  • Condensed matter quantum electrodynamic processes may also shift the densities of final states allowing an appreciable production of ultra low momentum neutrons which are thereby efficiently absorbed by nearby nuclei. No Coulomb barriers exist for the weak interaction neutron production or other resulting catalytic processes.”
  • the required electron mass renormalization is provided by the interaction between surface electron plasma oscillations and surface proton oscillations.
  • the resulting neutron catalyzed low energy nuclear reactions emit copious prompt gamma radiation.
  • the heavy electrons which induce the initially produced neutrons also strongly absorb the prompt nuclear gamma radiation. Nuclear hard photon radiation away from metallic hydride surfaces is thereby strongly suppressed.”
  • the present invention utilizes weak interactions between protons (p+) and “heavy” electrons (e h ⁇ ) to produce a neutron (n ulm ) and a neutrino ( ⁇ e )as follows: e h ⁇ +p + ⁇ n ulm + ⁇ e
  • the Coulomb barrier is not a factor in either of these reactions. In fact, in this situation, unlike charges actually help these reactions to proceed.
  • ULMNs quantum mechanical wave functions of ULMNs are very large, e.g., ⁇ 10,000 to 100,000 Angstroms (1-10 microns); this is approximately the same size as coherent surface domain of oscillating protons or deuterons.
  • Dr. S. K. Lamoreaux of Los Alamos National Laboratory it would likely take roughly 1/10 to 2/10 of a millisecond for such a ULMN to interact with surrounding phonons in nearby materials and thermalize.
  • the spatial extent of its wave function (as well as implicitly, its capture cross section) will be contracting to dimensions ( ⁇ 2 Angstroms) and a related cross section that are “normal” for neutrons at such energies.
  • the ULMN absorption process is so rapid and efficient that thermal neutrons will rarely if ever be released and detected outside the apparatus of the invention.
  • LNRs represents a broad descriptive term encompassing a complex family of low energy nuclear reactions catalyzed by ULMNs. As explained in the referenced papers by Widom and Larsen, creation of ULMNs on surfaces requires a breakdown of the Born-Oppenheimer approximation, collectively oscillating “patches” of protons or deuterons, as well as excited surface plasmons and fully loaded metal hydrides.
  • ULMNs and resulting LENRs are absorbed by nearby atoms
  • ULMNs are absorbed by nearby atoms
  • small, solid-state nanodomains dimensions on the order of tens of microns or less
  • a metal and a dielectric such as a ceramic solid-state proton conductor.
  • production of high local fluxes of ULMNs enables LENRs to be triggered in nearby materials.
  • preferred local isotopic compositions can generate substantial amounts of excess heat that can then, for example, be transferred to another device and converted into electricity or rotational motion.
  • FIG. 1 is a representative side view of a ULMN generator according to aspects of the present invention. It consists of: randomly positioned surface “patches” from one to ten microns in diameter comprising a monolayer of collectively oscillating protons or deuterons 10 ; a metallic substrate 12 which may or may not form bulk hydrides; collectively oscillating surface plasmon polariton electrons 14 that are confined to metallic surface regions (at an interface with some sort of dielectric) within a characteristic skin depth averaging 200-300 Angstroms for typical metals such as copper and silver; an upper working region 16 which may be filled with a liquid, gas, solid-state proton conductor, or a mild vacuum; other substrate 18 which must be able to bond strongly with the metal substrate 12 and have good thermal conductivity but which may or may not be permeable to hydrogen or deuterium and/or form hydrides; and the working surface 20 of the metallic substrate 12 which may or may not have nanoparticles of differing compositions af
  • FIG. 2 is a representative top view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 according to aspects of the present invention. It shows randomly positioned “patches” of collectively oscillating protons or deuterons 10 located on top of the metallic substrate 12 and its working surface 20 .
  • FIG. 3 is a representative side view of a ULMN generator according to aspects of the present invention. It shows the ULM generator of FIG. 1 with randomly positioned nanoparticles 22 affixed to the working surface 20 . It is important that the maximum dimensions of the nanoparticles are less than the skin depth 14 .
  • FIG. 4 is a representative top view of a ULMN generator according to aspects of the present invention. It shows the ULM generator of FIG. 3 with randomly positioned nanoparticles 22 affixed to the working surface 20 .
  • FIG. 5 is a representative schematic side view of one alternative preferred embodiment of a ULMN power generation system according to aspects of the present invention. It shows a pressurized reservoir of hydrogen or deuterium gas 24 connected via a valve 26 and related piping with an one-way check valve and inline pump 28 that injects gas under pressure (>1 atmosphere) into a sealed container with two open cavities 30 , 32 separated and tightly sealed from each other by a one or two layer ULM neutron generator.
  • the side walls 34 of the cavities 30 , 32 are thermally conductive, relatively inert, and serve mainly to provide support for the ULM neutron generator.
  • the top and bottom walls 36 , 38 of the two cavities 30 , 32 are preferably constructed of materials that are thermally conductive.
  • the top 36 and bottom 38 walls can be made electrically conductive and a desired electrical potential gradient can be imposed across the ULM generator.
  • the ULM generator can optionally be constructed with two layers 12 , 18 , both of which must be able to form bulk metallic hydrides, but their materials are selected to maximize the difference in their respective work functions at the interface between them.
  • Each layer 12 , 18 of the ULM generator must preferably be made thicker than the skin depth of surface plasmon polaritons, which is about 20-50 nanometers in typical metals.
  • a semiconductor laser 40 is optionally installed, it should be selected to have the highest possible efficiency and its emission wavelengths chosen to closely match the resonant absorption peaks of the SPPs found in the particular embodiment.
  • the pressure gradient (from 1 up to 10 atmospheres) across the ULM generator insures that a sufficient flux of protons or deuterons is passing through the generator's working surface 20 .
  • the outermost walls of the container 44 completing enclosing the ULM generator unit (except for openings necessary for piping, sensors, and electrical connections), can be either solid-state thermoelectric/thermionic modules, or alternatively a material/subsystem that has an extremely high thermal conductivity such as copper, aluminum, Dylyn diamond coating, PocoFoam, or specially engineered heat pipes.
  • the ULM generator In the case of the alternative embodiment having a ULM generator integrated with thermoelectric/thermionic devices, high quality DC power is generated directly from the ULM generator's excess heat; it serves as a fully integrated power generation system.
  • the ULM generator functions as an LENR heat source that can be integrated as the “hot side” with a variety of different energy conversion technologies such as small steam engines (which can either run an electrical generator or rotate a driveshaft) and Stirling engines.
  • FIG. 6 is a representative schematic block diagram of another alternative preferred embodiment of a ULMN power generation system according to aspects of the present invention. It shows a subsystem 46 containing a ULM generator heat source (such as illustrated in FIG. 5 ) combined with a thermal transfer subsystem 48 that transfers heat to a steam engine 50 that converts heat into rotational motion that can either be used turn a driveshaft or an AC electrical generator. Overall operation of the ULM-based integrated power generation system is monitored and controlled by another subsystem 52 comprised of sensors, actuators, and microprocessors linked by communications pathways 54 .
  • FIG. 7 is a representative schematic block diagram of another alternative preferred embodiment of a ULMN power generation system according to aspects of the present invention. It shows a subsystem 46 containing a ULM generator heat source combined with a thermal transfer subsystem 48 that transfers heat to a Stirling engine 56 that converts heat into rotational motion that can either be used turn a driveshaft or an AC electrical generator. Overall operation of the ULM-based integrated power generation system is monitored and controlled by another subsystem 52 comprised of sensors, actuators, and microprocessors linked by communications pathways 54 .
  • the first step in the operation of the Invention is to deliberately “load” 90-99% pure hydrogen or deuterium into a selected hydride-forming metallic substrate 12 such as palladium, nickel, or titanium.
  • a selected hydride-forming metallic substrate 12 such as palladium, nickel, or titanium.
  • alternative preferred methods for such loading include a: 1. Pressure gradient; 2. Enforced difference in chemical potential; and/or 3. Imposition of electrochemical potential across the working surface.
  • protons or deuterons When a metallic hydride substrate 12 is “fully loaded” (that is, the ratio of H or D to metal lattice atoms in the metallic hydride substrate reaches a preferred value of 0.80 or larger), protons or deuterons begin to “leak out” and naturally form densely covered areas in the form of “patches” 10 or “puddles” positive charge on the working surface 20 of the metallic hydride substrate 12 .
  • the appearance of these surface patches of protons or deuterons can be seen clearly in thermal neutron scattering data.
  • These surface patches 10 of protons or deuterons have dimensions that are preferably from one to ten microns in diameter and are scattered randomly across the working surface 20 . Importantly, when these surface patches 10 form, the protons or deuterons that comprise them spontaneously begin to oscillate together, collectively, in unison.
  • Electromagnetic coupling between SPP electrons 14 and collectively oscillating patches of protons or deuterons dramatically increases strength of electric fields in the vicinity of the patches 10 .
  • the masses of local SPP electrons 14 exposed to the very high fields preferably >10 11 Volts/meter
  • Such field strengths are essentially equivalent to those normally experienced by inner-shell electrons in typical atoms.
  • heavy electrons, e* ⁇ are created in the immediate vicinity of the patches 10 in and around the working surface 20 .
  • SPP electrons 14 in and around the patches can be heavy, those located away from the patches are not.
  • ULM generators with an upper working region 16 that is filled with hydrogen or deuterium gas are more tractable from a surface stability standpoint, as compared to electrolytic ULM generators using an aqueous electrolyte in which the nanoscale surface features of the cathodes typically change dramatically over time.
  • FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate a ULM generator in which nanoparticles 22 are fabricated and affixed to its working surface 20 .
  • FIG. 3 is a representative side view, not drawn to scale;
  • FIG. 4 is a representative top view, also not drawn to scale.
  • a ULM neutron generator would be constructed with a metallic substrate 12 that forms hydrides or deuterides, such as palladium, titanium, or nickel, or alloys thereof. Above that substrate is a working surface 20 capable of supporting surface plasmon polaritons 14 and the attachment of selected nanoparticles 22 .
  • the thickness of the substrate 12 and the diameter of the surface nanoparticles 22 should be fabricated so that they do not exceed the skin depth of the SPPs 14 .
  • the substrate 12 is fully loaded with H or D and the working surface 20 has an adequate coverage of patches 10 of protons or deuterons.
  • the surface nanoparticles 22 serve as preferred target materials for ULM neutron absorption during operation of the generator.
  • One example of a preferred nanoparticle target material for ULMN power generation applications are a variety of palladium-lithium alloys.
  • Palladium-lithium alloys represent an example of a preferable nanoparticle target material because: (a.) certain lithium isotopes have intrinsically high cross-sections for neutron absorption; (b.) nanoparticles composed of palladium-lithium alloys adhere well to palladium substrates; (c.) palladium-lithium alloys readily form hydrides, store large amounts of hydrogen or deuterium, and load easily; and finally (d.) there is a reasonably small, neutron-catalyzed LENR reaction network starting with Lithium-6 that produces substantial amounts of energy and forms a natural nuclear reaction cycle. Specifically, this works as follows (the graphic is excerpted from the referenced Widom-Larsen paper that published in The European Physical Journal C—Particles and Fields ):
  • the net amount of energy (Q) released in the above LENR network compares favorably with that of strong interaction fusion reactions, yet it does not result in the production of energetic neutrons, hard radiation, or long-lived radioactive isotopes. Thus, substantial amounts of heat energy can be released safely by guiding the course of complex LENR nucleosynthetic and decay processes.
  • FIG. 8 is a representative sketch useful in understanding some of the scientific principles that are involved in various aspects of the present invention.
  • heavy electrons are produced in very high local collectively oscillating patches of protons or deuterons. These heavy electrons combine with the protons or deuterons to form the desired neutrons.
  • These ULM neutrons having extremely large cross sections of absorption, are quickly absorbed by the materials or targets in or upon the metallic substrate. As isotopes are produced, neutrinos and other reaction products are produced.
  • ULMN production within such devices according to the teachings of the invention in conjunction with methods for selection/fabrication of appropriate seed materials (nuclei/isotopes) and utilization of related LENR pathways, enables:

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Spectroscopy & Molecular Physics (AREA)
  • High Energy & Nuclear Physics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
  • Particle Accelerators (AREA)
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WO2019236455A1 (fr) * 2018-06-03 2019-12-12 Metzler Florian Système et procédé d'excitation et de désexcitation à médiation phononique d'états nucléaires
US11378714B2 (en) * 2020-11-13 2022-07-05 Saudi Arabian Oil Company Large depth-of-investigation pulsed neutron measurements and enhanced reservoir saturation evaluation

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